The messages I receive continue to surround them nurture, love yourself and engage in self-care activities. One of the things I let go was running when the weather turned colder, in part due to lack of time, making excuses i.e. it’s too cold. I am more of a warm weather girl.
We talk about nurture and self-care all the time but what the heck does it all mean? Self-care in its simplest form means taking it easy, take a break, do things that you love. My self-care journey just began when I did the art activity to pain my vision for the year.
I started daily activities that may include some form of mediation with Reiki, creating via writing, crochet or painting, reading, take a bath, and sleep. I even took a nap when my body told me I needed to. I am adding exercise back in. Today I started with a gentle walk.
Self-care is doing things that feel good to your body and soul in that moment and time. What they mean to each of us, can differ from individual to individual. Self-care is just allowing you some downtime from the daily hustle and bustle of work, parenting and whatever else usually keeps you overwhelmed. It’s a time to connect with yourself and allow your body some peace so it can rejuvenate itself.
- Make time for food that nourishes your body and soul. How much junk are you fueling your body with that leaves you tired and exhausted? How much fresh food do you eat to really give your body what you need? When you feel good, the soul feels good because it knows you are taking care of yourself.
- Exercise in some way through yoga, walking, running, Zumba, dancing or whatever call you to move your body. Allow it to feel good. It will help you from becoming to still and it’s just good for you to feel positive especially if you have been feeling down.
- Make bedtime a priority allowing you adequate rest time. For me, this is about 7-8 hours of sleep. For you, it could be a bit less or more. The important thing is that you rest your body!
- Meditate daily. Since engaging in meditation and Reiki daily, I feel better and more grounded. Meditation requires you to breathe and fully engage your breath, giving each cell in your body the required and deserving oxygen. Meditation allows your body to rest and relax.
- Do one thing you truly enjoy. Write, paint, crochet! Do it because you will feel amazingly good afterward for having done it.
- Connect with nature. Go outside, hug a tree, walk barefoot, sit in the sun. Allow yourself to feel the wind and the sun rays on your skin. Surround yourself with nature in each way.
- Practice gratitude throughout the day for each moment. For the raindrop that falls to nourish the earth. For the driver going too slow in front of you to keep you safe and quite without the speeding ticket. For the paycheck, you earn to provide a roof over your head. For life and the opportunity to experience it. Be grateful.
Self-care is respecting you enough to make time to be with just you.
